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China trademark · Complete guide

How to Register a Trademark in China

Why China is “first to file,” how the CNIPA process works, the classes and Chinese-character mark most foreign brands miss — and how HCSG files it for you.

China-based · trademark & brand-protection specialists

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The rule

First to file

wins the mark in China

China trademark registration is handled by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), and the one rule that matters most is this: China is first-to-file. Whoever registers the mark first generally owns it — even if you've sold under that brand for years at home and never set foot in China. That's why brand owners who import from or sell to China should register before they ship, list or hand designs to a factory. A China trademark is filed in specific goods/service classes (China adds its own sub-class layer most foreign filers miss), and it's strongly advised to register a Chinese-character version of your name too, because that's what customers — and squatters — actually use. Registration often completes within several months to a year. This guide walks the process — and where you'd rather a China-based team search, file and defend the mark for you, that's what HCSG does.

See how HCSG can help

At a glance

China trademark registration at a glance

First

to file

Whoever files first generally owns the mark — prior use abroad rarely helps.

CNIPA

the registrar

All China trademarks are filed and examined by CNIPA.

~10 yrs

then renew

A registration lasts about ten years and is renewable.

Before

you ship or sell

File before sourcing, listing or sharing designs.

The essentials

Three things foreign brands get wrong

Get these right and you avoid the most expensive China-IP mistakes.

First-to-file, not first-to-use

File early

Using a brand for years abroad does not reserve it in China. The first to file generally wins — so speed matters more than seniority.

Classes & sub-classes

Cover the right ones

China uses international classes plus its own sub-class system; marks in different sub-classes may not conflict, so coverage must be chosen deliberately.

Not just the Latin name

Customers and squatters use a Chinese-character (or pinyin) version of your brand — register it alongside your Latin mark, or someone else will.

How squatters target foreign brands

The journey

How a China trademark application moves

Rough stages and timing — timelines shift, so treat these as a guide and confirm current waits.

Stage	What happens
Search	Check the register for conflicting marks before you file
File	Submit to CNIPA in your chosen classes/sub-classes (via a local agent for foreign applicants)
Formal & substantive exam	CNIPA checks formalities, then examines for conflicts — this is the longest stage
Publication	The accepted mark is published for a 3-month opposition window
Registration	If unopposed, the mark registers — valid about ten years, renewable

Ask us to run a clearance search

The route

How to register a trademark in China

A clear sequence — HCSG runs each step, or the whole filing, for you.

Search the register

Clear your mark against existing China registrations to gauge the risk of refusal before you spend on filing.

Choose classes & sub-classes

Map your products to the right classes and sub-classes so your protection actually covers what you sell.

Add a Chinese-character mark

Decide on and clear a Chinese-character and/or pinyin version of your brand to file alongside the Latin one.

File through a local agent

Foreign applicants file via a licensed China trademark agency — we prepare and submit the application for you.

Examination & publication

CNIPA examines the mark, then publishes it for a three-month opposition window.

Registration & renewal

Once registered, the mark lasts about ten years; we diarise renewals and watch for infringers.

Get a free trademark consultation

First-to-file means speed beats seniority

The most painful China-IP stories all start the same way: a brand owner waits until they're “bigger” or until sales prove the market — and by then someone has already filed their name. Because China is first-to-file, that someone can be an opportunist, a distributor, or even your own supplier, and getting the mark back is slow and expensive. The fix is simple: file early, before you source, list or share designs. We explain exactly how squatting works, and how to prevent it, in the brand-protection guide.

Read the brand-protection guide

Importing from or exporting to China?

Protect the brand before it leaves your hands

For African importers and exporters, the trademark is easy to overlook until it's too late. A few realities worth planning around — we handle the filing around them.

Before you brief a factory

File first

The moment you share artwork, packaging or a brand name with a supplier, it can be filed by someone else. Register before you hand anything over.

Before you list or sell

Marketplaces ask for it

Selling on Chinese or global marketplaces increasingly needs a registered mark to enrol in brand-protection programmes — have it ready.

One country at a time

China is separate

A trademark at home (in Nigeria, Kenya or Ghana) does not protect you in China — China is a separate registration, and a separate first-to-file race.

See how we protect your brand

Two ways to file: directly, or through Madrid

You can file directly with CNIPA, or extend an international registration to China through the Madrid Protocol. Madrid can be convenient if you're filing in many countries at once, but for China specifically a direct national filing often gives cleaner sub-class coverage — which is exactly where foreign marks get caught short. We advise on the right route for your situation rather than defaulting to one.

Ask which route fits you

How we help

How HCSG handles this for you

Your China trademark, handled end to end — from clearance search to defending the mark.

Trademark search & analysis

We clear your mark against the register and advise on the real risk before you file.

CNIPA application filing

As your filing partner we prepare and submit the application in the right classes and sub-classes.

Chinese-mark strategy

We help choose and clear a Chinese-character/pinyin version so your brand is protected the way customers use it.

Opposition & dispute handling

We monitor for conflicts and act on oppositions, bad-faith filings and infringements.

Portfolio & renewals

We manage your marks across classes and diarise renewals so protection never lapses.

The outcome: the right marks, in the right classes, filed early and defended — so your brand is yours in China, not someone else's to ransom.

Book a Free Consultation

Good to know

Questions founders ask us

Specific, net-new answers — not a repeat of the guide above.

Do I need to register my trademark in China if I only import from there?+

Often yes. The moment your brand, packaging or designs are shared with a Chinese factory, they can be registered by someone else under China's first-to-file rule — which can then block your own exports. Filing first is the protection.

What does first-to-file actually mean?+

Whoever files the application first generally secures the mark in China, regardless of who used it first elsewhere. Prior use abroad rarely overrides a Chinese filing, with only narrow exceptions — so timing is critical.

How long does China trademark registration take?+

Often several months to a year in a straightforward case, including the three-month publication window. Examination has sped up recently, but timelines still shift, so we give you a current estimate when you file.

How long does a China trademark last?+

About ten years from registration, and it's renewable for further ten-year terms. A registered mark can also be cancelled if it isn't used for a continuous period, so use it and keep evidence.

Should I register a Chinese-character version of my brand?+

Strongly advised. Customers, distributors and squatters refer to your brand by a Chinese name — if you don't choose and register one, someone may choose it for you. We help select and clear a suitable Chinese mark.

Can I use my home-country trademark in China?+

No — trademarks are territorial. A registration in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana or anywhere else gives you no rights in China; China is a separate application and a separate first-to-file race.

What is the sub-class system?+

China divides each international class into sub-classes, and marks in different sub-classes may be treated as non-conflicting. Choosing the wrong sub-classes can leave gaps a competitor or squatter exploits, so coverage must be deliberate.

Should I file directly or through the Madrid Protocol?+

Both work. Madrid suits multi-country filings, but a direct CNIPA filing often gives cleaner sub-class coverage for China specifically. We recommend the route that fits your markets rather than a default.

Can HCSG register and defend my trademark in China?+

Yes. As your China-based partner we search, file in the right classes, add a Chinese-character mark, handle oppositions, and manage renewals — so your brand is protected and kept that way.

Still have questions? Contact our team

In this series

Keep reading

China trademark squatting: protect your brand Sourcing from China? Do this before you share designs Showing your brand at the Canton Fair Travelling to China for business? The M visa Our China IP & brand services

Published by the HCSG Publishing Department. This guidance reflects current China trademark registration practice and HCSG's advisory practice and is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, contact our team for a tailored consultation. Reviewed and maintained by the HCSG Publishing Department · Updated June 2026.

Protecting your brand in China?

Tell us your brand and your products — we'll run a clearance search, file in the right classes, and defend the mark for you.

China-based team · Hainan FTP specialists